Vegetable shredder and slicer



w. E. URscHl-:L ET AL.

VEGETABLE SHREDDER AND SLICER Aug. v9, 1938.

` Filed Maron 5.o, 195e 4 sheets-sheet 1' Aug. 9,1938.

l w. E. URscHEL Er AL] VEGETABLE SHREDDER AND SLICER Filed March so, 193e 4 'Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 9, 1938. w. URscHEL ET AL 2,126,351

VEGETABLE SHREDDER `AND SLICER Filed March 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS v @h ,y A TToRNEYs.

Patented Aug. 9,1938

YEGETEUE SHBEDDEM SHCEB.

wurm n. umher me .vos nieuwe umher, Valparaiso,J lined..-

`Application March Sli., mit., Serial No. Vlll,5'lil il?? @minata lim. 11Min-'ml This invention relates to vegetable and trui slicers anol'shredders.

One of the objects oi the present invention is to provide mechanism ior cutting vegetables and d fruit, particularly vegetables, into strips oi univ form cross section. and narticularlzv7 rectangular cross section, wherein the product is popularly lrnown as shoe string carrots, potatoeabeets,

or whatever the commodity is. f Mi llmong additional objects o i the invention are to provide a machine ier producing a product ci the foregoing description, wl'iereinV the* cutting action is accomplished liv the utilization of centriiugal iorce which constantly presses the fruit or vegetables, without bruising thersanie, forcibly against a slicing knife for cutting the iruit or vegetables; to provide an improved method and apparatus 4i'or slicing fruit and vegetables wherein centrifugal torce isvutilized'ior feeding and slicing the fruit or vegetables into hist sheetlike forni and then into elongated strips, `all in a continuous action and with minimum injury tol the 'fruits or vegetables; to provide an improved method and means for feeding fruits and/or vegetables in an automatic manner, and without damage thereto, toa slicing mechanism tor con'm tinuously and automatically slicing the product into ilrst sheet-like loi-in and then into clongated strips in `the nature oi so-called shoe 3U strngs; to provide these and other'objects oi invention' which will be apparent from a perusal oi the following specification when taken in conf nection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring new to the drawings:

Figure l is an elevation oi the iront end oi onev Aoi theY embodiments oi the apparatus for carrying out the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation oi such machine; Figure il is a section talren on the line i-i oi Figure 2;

. Figure i is a section oi the drum taken on lin lliil 'of Figure 2; Figure v is e.I perspective view of the knife and holder;

Figure 6 isv a. vertical section'oi the drum and an elevation of the cutting instrumentalities;

Figure 7 illustrates the cutter assembly in partial section; Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of the strip ejector; y i

. Figure 9 is a side sectional view taken through the stationary slicing bar and the rotating cutter;

4 55' Figure l0 is a sectional View taken through the mechanism ior holding the slicing bar it in position; and

Figure ll is a nien section on line lll-ii oi Figure 5.. f The main frame of the machine consists oi 5 two elongated side members it and li held in spaced relation by the two identical end iranie members il transverselrr disposed at their ex .t'remities' and secured together by bolts iti.

An upright, transversely disposed drum ifi is l0 mounted upon the leit `portion of the longitudiV nal frame member it by means of two preferably integral leg-llico projections it disposed one at each end oi said drum. Bolts it secure the legs iii to the frame member lil. Additional support l5 for the drum is provided by the combined support and chain guard member il', secured to the head iii oi drum it by bolts it. Bolts it serve to secure the transverse support il to the frame members it and il. 20

il considerable portion oi the circumferential wall portion of the drum id is hinged upon a rod i i, as shown clearly in Figure i, whereby the tree lower end oithe arcuate wall it may oe adjustahltT moved inwardly or outwardly with respect 25 to the asis ofi drum lil. The plntle il is secured in lugs it mounted upon the iixed arcuate wall lil `of 'it by means voi cotte-r pins fixed at its extremities.V The movable arcuate wall portion isfgeositioned by an adjusting screw it 341i maintained invdesired position hy loci: nut it. This adjusting screw cooperates with a .threaded aperture ioraclret il secured to frame member il iov bolts it.'

il. knife or cutting means it transverselyV dls- 35 posed at thevlower extremity of wall it of the drum lli is held in positionl by suitable holding means til; Knife it is positioned in holder it by slot il and pin ,[32 cooperating with slots di at -one extremity oi' the knife. A thumb screw or Llo loci: nut 3i! serves to secure the knife it in its' holder it. This holder 30 in turn is fastened to a boss positioned at the lower portion of the drum wall it by means of cap screws 36 (see Figure in Drum i4 is equipped with a. rotor 3l xed or 45 keyed to a shaft Tl, which shaft is journalecl in suitable bearings 33 and 39 disposed at the end wall of the face l of the drum M and the support member Il, respectively` Rotor 3l consists of two disc-like portions 4l and-4I heldin xed 50 relation by radial paddles 42. As shown in Figure 4 these paddles extend inwardly, terminating considerably short of the center axis of the rotor, thereby providing a series of pockets, in the presexit instance four in number, into which the spaced disc cutters 54 vegetables or fruit are .fed as hereinafter ex.

plained, the paddles serving to divide up' the drum into sections and providing' radially extending abutments which assist the centrifugal action caused by rotation of the paddles in propeiling the fruit and/or vegetables outwarmy against the pivotally mounted wall portion 24 of the drum.

A chain sprocket 43'pinned to shaft 11 isdriven by means of sprocket 44 through chain 45. 'I'he sprocket 44 is pinned to shaft 46 journaled in bearing 41 integral with the lower portion of support I1. Pulley 46 conventionally secured to the other extremity of shaft 46 is driven by motor pulley 49 through V belt 56. Bolts 5I secure motor 52 and transverse motor supports 53 to the longitudinal frame members I6 and II.

Directly beneath knife 2,9 are a series of equally transversely disposed with respect to the opening 18 hereinafter referred to. Disc cutters 54 and washers 56 serving to hold said cutters in spaced relation are mounted upon the tubular holder 55. A nut 66 engaging with the threaded extremity of holder 55 secures these cutters 54 and washers 56 upon said holder by holding them securely against integral shoulder 59. Holder 55 is secured to shaft 55 by key 51. Bearings 6I and 52 serve to journal shaft 56 in bracket 53. Spur gear 54 pinned at one end of shaft' 56 and washer 55 secured to the other extremity by cap screw 66 serve to position shaft 56 in bearings 6I and 62. Spur gear 54 is driven by spur gear 65 keyed to hereinbefore described shaft 46.

An ejector 61, Figures 4 and 8, bolted to transverse bar 66 of bracket 63 has been'provlded to remove the vegetable strips lodged between cutters 54. Bracket 63 is securedto drum I4 by cap screws 35.

A feed hopper means for feeding vegetables into drum 1I riveted to frame 12 provides 4 through the circular opening 13 in rotor 31. Hopper frame 12 to which hopper 1I is secured is provided with hook projections 14 to engage with projections 15 positioned upon the forward rim of drum I4. Additional rigidity for frame 12 has been secured by the vertical ann 16 provided at its extremity with a pin which is loosely Yfitted into a circular aperture in the wall ofthe drum at that point. 'I'his arrangement enables the hopper 1I to be detached for cleaning lor gaining access to the interior of drum I4. L

Two discharge chutes 69 and 16, conventionally secured to Vlongitudinal frame members I6 and II, have been provided to direct cut vegetables toward and into suitable receptacles or conveyors.I

In the operation of the machine, vegetables and/or fruits, half-fruits or sections, are placed in hopper 1I which feeds them into the rotor 31 of the stationary drum I4. The rotory drive sprocket 43 is driven by sprocket 44 through chain 45. Sprocket 44 is driven by motor 52 through pulleys 48 and 49 and the V belt 56.

Rotor 31 is revolved at such speed as to cause a centrifugal force greatly exceeding their weight to act upon the vegetables enclosed therein. The rotor is preferably driven in excess of 175 revolutions per minute to provide a centrifugal force of considerable degree. This centrifugal force causes the vegetables to constantly bear against the circumferential wall of drinn I4, assuming positions illustrated by Figure 4. The high centrifugal force which propels the vegetables against the circumferential outer wall I4`is sufiicient to keep the vegetables in constant eng'agement with the outer wall so that there is a repeated slicing of the vegetable upon each rotation of the drum. 'This is true, whether there are a plurality of vegetables in the pockets, or a single vegetable. In the case of a plurality of vegetables, they are in constant engagement with the wall I4 and are immediately adjacent each other. The rotation of the drum will cause the slicing knife 29 to have a continuous cutting action through each vegetable, whether there is one or a plurality thereof, until the vegetable is completely sliced throughout.' Clockwise rotation of rotor 31 will cause the vegetables to impinge against the cutting edge of knife 29, thereby causing slices to be severed from the vegetables. 'I'he thickness of the'slices is controlled by the size of opening T6 between the cutting edge of knife 29 and the extremity of the arcuate member 22. Adjusting screw bearing against arcuate member 22 hinged upon rod 2i provides means for controlling the size of opening 16.

'I'he cutters 54 are driven from the intermediate drive shaft 46 through the means of spur gears 54 and 65. In Figure 4, a portion of the cutting edges of cutters 54 are recessed in parallel arcuate grooves in knife holder 36. The slices cut by knife 29 are engaged by cutters 54 and as they are carried downwardly come in contact with the arcuate face 6I of holder 36. The engagement of the cutters 54 is simultaneous with the cutter 29 to provide a cutting action on the cut slice before the slice is completely severed from the vegetable. 'I'he cutter discs 54 have a further action in that they rotate at a speed which is greater than the speed of rotation of the rotor member 46. The cutters also rotate in the same direction that the cut slice is being fed. This direction of rotation and the increased speed of the discs 54 materially assist in pulling the cut slice into and past the cutters 54 with a great rapidity, to efllciently shoe-string the vegetable without any inhibitive movement thereof. This arcuate surface gradually forces the slices in between cutters 54 past their cutting edges, thereby cutting the slice into strips equal to the distance between the cutters. 'Ihis forcing the slices inwardly beyond the cutting edges of the slicers insures a positive cut, leaving none of the strips hanging together.

The strips are forced out from between cutters 54 by ejector 61, causing the strips to fall upon the discharge chute 16. Chute 16 directs the cut vegetables toward and into` asuitable receptacle or conveyor. Chips too small to become lodged between cutters 54 are thrown upon chute 69 and directed into a suitable receptacle or conveyor.

Illustrations and the-description show but one set of cutting instrumentalities. Additional cutting instrumentalities and hinged wall portions may be added to the circumferential drum wall to increase the capacity of the machine.

A horizontally disposed drum with its rotor secured to a vertically disposed shaft may be substituted for the drum I4 shown.

To use the machine as a slicer, only bracket 63 supporting cutters 54 need be removed.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an article treating device the combination of a drum having a relatively smooth inner wall, a section of the periphery of said drum being pivotally mounted whereby the free edge of said pivotally mounted section may be adjusted relatively to the opposed edge of the free edge of the remainder of the drum whereby to provide a slot between said opposed edges extending transversely of the smooth inner wall of the drum, means for adjusting the pivotal movement of said pivotally mounted wall section to determine the width of said slot, the wall of one of said drum sections being provided with a slicing knife extending transversely of the wall section, rotatable means vdisposed within said drum and. having impeller means adapted to receive therebetween a quantity of commodity to be sliced whereby upon the rotation of said impeller members said commodity will be centrifuged against the inner smooth wall of said drum andforced to travel across the slicing knife disposed in said slot, and means for receiving and discharging a slice of the commodity as it passes through said slot, and a plurality of knives disposed at said slot and operatively associated with the slicing knife for cutting the slice into a plurality of elongated strips of predetermined cross-section, and means for deiiecting the cut slices downward from between the knife blades. l

2. In an article treating device the combination of a drum having a relatively smooth inner wall, a section of the periphery of said drum being pivotallyl mounted whereby the free edge of said pivotally mounted section may be adjusted relatively to the opposed edge of the free edge of the remainder of the drum whereby to provide a slot between said opposed edges extending transversely of the smooth inner wall of the drum, means for adjusting the pivotal movement of said pivotally mounted wall section to determine the widthofv said slot, the wall ofA one of said drum sections being provided with a slicing knife extending transversely -of the wall' section, rotatable means disposed within said drum and having impeller members adapted to receive therebetween a quan- A tity of commodity to be sliced whereby upon the rotation of said impeller members said commodity will be centrifuged against the inner smooth wall of said drum and forced to travel across the slicing knife disposed in said slot, and means for receiving and discharging a slice of the commodity as it passes through said slot. and a gang oi' rotary cutters spaced apart and disposed beneath the underside of the slicing knife in cooperative arrangement with the slot and in position to receive the slice as it passes through said slot whereby to cut said slice into a plurality of elongated strips of predetermined cross-section, and means for deiiecting the cut slices downward from between the knife blades.

3. In an article treating device the combination of a drum having a relatively smooth inner wall, a section of the periphery of said drum being pivotally mounted whereby the free edge of said pivotally mounted section may be adjusted relatively to the opposed edge of the free edge of the remainder of the drum whereby to provide a slot between said opposed edges extending transversely of the smooth inner wall of the drum, means for adjusting the pivotal movement of said .pivotally mounted Wall section to determine the width of said slot, the wall of one of said drum sections being provided with a knife carrier and a slicing knife extending transversely of the wall section, rotatable means disposed within said drum and having impeller means adapted to receive therebetween a quantity of commodity to be sliced whereby upon the rotation of said impeller members said commodity will be centrifuged against the inner smooth Wall of saiddrum and forced to travel across the slicing knife disposed in said slot, and means for receiving and discharging a slice of the commodity as it passes through said slot, there being means disposed on the knife carrier at the discharge end of said slot and located between the rotating cutters for deflecting the slice wholly within the circumferential or peripheral planes of the rotating cutter blades.

4. In an article treating device the combination of a drum having a relatively smooth inner wall..

a section of the periphery of said drum beingpivotally mounted whereby the free edge of said pivotally mounted section may be adjusted rela-` tively tothe opposed edge of the free edge of the remainder of the drum whereby to provide a slot between said opposed edges extending transversely of the smooth inner wall of the drum, means for adjusting the pivotal movement of said pivotally mounted wall section to determine the width of said slot, the wall of one of said drum sections being provided with a knife carrier and a` slicing knife extending transversely of the wall section, rotatable means disposed within said drum and having impeller members adapted to receive therebetween a quantity of commodity to be sliced whereby upon the rotation of said impeller members said commodity will be centrifuged against the inner smooth wall of said drum and forced to travel across the slicing knife disposed in said slot, and means for receiving and discharging a slice of the commodity as 'it passes through said slot, means disposed on the knife carrier for deecting the slice to a gang of rotary cutters spaced apart and disposed beneath the underside of the slicing knife in cooperative arrangement with the slot and in position to receive the slice as it passes through said slot whereby to cut said slice into a plurality of elongated strips of predetermined cross-section, and means adapted to operate in the spaces between the rotary cutters for stripping the elongated strips therefrom.

5. In a device of the class described incombination with a support, a hopper for receiving a mass of vegetables or fruits to be cut, a drum having an opening communicating with said hopper to receive said contents, rotary impeller means mounted within said drum, said drum having relatively smooth inner wall surface overinner Wall of the drum being shiftable whereby to adjust the width of said slot, and the opposite edge of said slot being formed as a slicing knife extending transversely of the smooth inner wall of the drum, a gang of disc cutters disposed in spaced apart relation on the outside of the drum adjacent the slot and in position to receive a slice discharged through said slot by the passage of the fruit or vegetable across the slotted smooth Wall, the'drum at the under surface of the slicing knife being provided with inwardly extending abutments disposed between the rotary cutters for forcing the slice inwardly toward the central axis of the rotating disc cutters, and means for receiving the elongated strips discharged 'from the rotary cutters.

6. A slicing machine for slicing fruits and vegetables, comprising means providing an endless areuate smooth wall provided with an aperture therein, said aperture having a slicing -knife projecting thereinto with its cutting edge in line with the arcuate smooth wall, means for continuously centrifuging a fruit or vegetable against said wall, whereby to cause it forcibly to slide by repeatedly to cut slices of predetermined thickness from said fruit or vegetable, and means disposed in the path of a moving slice for cutting the slice into a series of elongated strips, said means likewise serving to assist the movement of the slice as it is being cut into strips.

7. A slicing machine for slicing fruits and vegetables, comprising means providing an endless arcuate smooth wall provided with an aperture therein, said aperture having a slicing knife projecting thereinto with its cutting edge in line with the arcuate smooth wall, means for continuously centrifuging a fruit or vegetable against said wall, whereby to cause it forcibly to slide uninterruptedly in cyclic fashion along the inner smooth wall into contact with said knife, whereby repeatedly to cut slices of predetermined thickness from said fruit or vegetable, and rotating cutting means'disposed in the path of movement of the moving slice for simultaneously cutting it into a plurality of elongated strips.

8. A slicing machine for slicing fruits and vegetables, comprising means providing an endless arcuate smooth wall provided with an aperturev therein, said aperture having a slicing knife projecting thereinto with its cutting edge in line with the arcuate smooth wall, means for continuously centrifuging a fruit or vegetable against said- Wall, whereby to cause it forcibly to slide uninterruptedly in cyclic fashion along the inner smooth wall into contact with said knife, whereby repeatedly to cut slices of predetermined thickness from said fruit or vegetable, and rotating cutting means disposed in the path of movement of the moving slice for cutting it into a plurality of elongated strips, said rotating cut` ting means moving in the same direction as the direction of movement of the elongated slices.

9. A slicing machine for slicing fruits and vegetables, comprising means providing an endless arcuate smooth wall provided with an aperture therein, said aperture having a slicing knife projecting thereinto with its cutting edge in line with the arcuate smooth wall, means for continuously centrifuging a fruit or vegetable against said wall, whereby to cause it forcibly to slide uninterruptedly in cyclic fashion along the inner smooth wall into contact with said knife, whereby repeatedly to cut slices of predetermined thickness from said fruit or vegetable, and rotating cutting means disposed in the path of movement of the moving slice for cutting it into a plurality of elongated strips, said rotating cutting means moving in the same direction as the direction of movement of the elongated slices, and means for moving said rotating cutting means at a greater speed than the speed of movement of the moving slices.

10. A slicing machine for slicing fruits and vegetables, comprising means providing an endless arcuate smooth wall provided with an aperture therein, said aperture having a slicing knife projecting thereinto with its cutting edge in line with the arcuate smooth wall, means for continuously centrifuging a fruit or vegetable against said wall whereby to cause it forcibly to slide Auninterruptedly in cyclic fashion along the inner smooth wall into contact with said knife, whereby repeatedly to cut slices of predetermined thickness from said fruit or vegetable, a plurality of rotatable cutting means lying transversely to the plane of 'cut formed by the slicing knife and disposed in the path of movement of the slice as it is discharged from said slicing knife, and means for moving said slice in a direction inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said cut- .ters and to a depth greater than the thickness of said slice, whereby completely to cut the slice into strips.

1i. The hereindescribed apparatus for cutting vegetables, fruit and the like, which comprises a curved surface, means for moving a fruit or vegetable in a curved path over said surface, subjecting the fruit or vegetable to the action of a centrifugal force while moving in said curved path, means for cutting a flat slice from the fruit or vegetable while the latter is being centrifuged in said curved path. means acting on said slice while the slice is being centrifuged and while only partially severed for causing the slice to move in a path reversely curved with respect to said first-named curved path, a plurality of spaced rotating cutting discs, said plurality of cutting discs being disposed in said reversely moved path, means for rotating said blades in the direction of movement of the slice and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed imparted to the slice by said first-named means, for drawing the slice past the nist-named cutter and severing it into strips.

12. In a machine for slicing fruits, vegetables and like substances, means forming a substantially closed curved surface guiding Wall, means for continuously moving said substance in the same direction along said curved guiding wall and subjecting it to centrifugal force, said curved surface guiding wall having an opening therein, a stationary knife in said opening and having its cutting edge in line with said curved wall. means .forming a second substance guiding wall positioned to guide said slices as they are being cut by said knife, means for actuating said moving means for rapidly moving the substance along said first Wall and forcing it against a cutting edge of said stationary slicing knife to form a travelling slice along said second named wall and va plurality of moving knives in juxtaposition to the second substance guiding wall and located in the path of movement of said travelling slice, means for causing the cutting edges of the moving knives to move continuously in the same direction and at a higher speed than the speed imparted to the slice by the first named substance moving means for engaging and pulling each travelling slice past said stationary knife as the travelling slice is being cut and for further subdividing said slice.

WILLIAM E. URSCHEL. JOE RICHARD URSCHEL. 

